ColleBuilt Helps Disabled Drivers Take the Wheel with Right Angle Gearboxes

MITRPAK products are experiencing a surge in new applications within diversified markets, most recently in the automotive industry. At Lampin, we know that our MITRPAK right angle gearboxes are ideal for industrial environments. When it comes to commercial applications like those for food and drug processing, packaging, and manufacturing equipment, great engineers know that MITRPAK is the right choice. But we also know that our customers utilize our gearboxes for more than industrial machinery, and we wanted to take a closer look at the innovative ways our right angle gearboxes are used all over the world.

The mobility specialists at ColleBuilt are world leaders when it comes to customizing vehicles to accommodate disabled drivers. For over 30 years, they have designed and produced mobility products for automatic steering backups,low-effort steering, low-effort braking, and custom designs. When the engineers at ColleBuilt began working on a low-effort steering assembly (also known as sensitized steering), they needed a smooth, easy-to-use right angle gearbox, and our MITRPAK gearbox was perfect for the job.

MITRPAK gearboxes are refined versions of right angle gearboxes. They feature reliable spiral bevel gears and are designed to meet the precise specifications of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and maintenance and repair operations (MROs). Custom MITRPAK right angle gearboxes are used in a wide variety of applications such as food processing, textiles, and automated manufacturing industries. Some applications are more specialized than others, like ColleBuilt’s custom sensitized steering systems, which make steering wheels easier to turn. ColleBuilt incorporates MITRPAK technology in their reduced-effort steering designs to enable smooth operation for disabled drivers.

Sensitized Steering Makes Driving Easier

ColleBuilt produces custom solutions for drivers who do not have the full range of motion to operate a standard vehicle. The low-effort steering modifications can be designed to suit a specific customer’s needs. To do this, ColleBuilt relies on MITRPAK gearboxes for fluid, comfortable motion. The steering wheels are redesigned horizontally so that they sit in front of the driver like a dinner plate. MITRPAK right angle gearboxes are used to transmit the motion of the new wheel into the original steering column of the vehicle. To make the wheel accessible for drivers with limited strength or mobility, ease of use is a top priority. The motion of the wheel must be effortless and reliable.

Reliable Mobility with MITRPAK Right Angle Gearboxes

The design team at ColleBuilt knew from the start that MITRPAK right angle gearboxes would be the best choice for their design. MITRPAK right angle gearboxes are designed to have teeth that meet gradually and with improved contact to the gear; this enables smoother, quieter operation. MITRPAK gearboxes are made without the use of a shim or retaining ring—instead, they are made with a unique, adjustable locknut that allows each gearset to be adjusted by hand. The versatile locknut virtually eliminates backlash.

Photo courtesy of Gary Colle/Goldenboy Mobility/ColleBuilt

The sensitized steering design originally required the car to be turned on before the wheel could be moved. During testing, this proved to be a less-than-optimal specification—the wheel was often forcibly turned while the car was off, breaking the spiral pin on the gearbox. MITRPAK gearboxes are specifically designed with shear pins that will break when the gearbox is misused. These pins are far easier to replace or repair, and the MITRPAK design protects the more expensive parts in the system from excessive force.

Lampin’s engineers collaborated with ColleBuilt to assess the MITRPAK design and ensure it could effectively lead to a durable, reliable, reduced-effort steering experience for drivers with decreased mobility. The team at ColleBuilt was thrilled with Lampin’s quality of information and its engineers’ motivation to help. They noted that the level of personalized service received was uncommon but certainly not unwelcome. Lampin believes that high-quality results come from a responsive, collaborative communication with their customers.

Do you have an innovative design that you want to make into a reality? Contact Lampin today to request a quote and tell us! What will you move with a MITRPAK?